Almost a year ago, I said this would happen......

Steve....Do you know when they were first classified as Exotic livestock. I was under the impression that they have been classified as exotic livestock for a good many years now. Actually I assumed they had always been classified that way. And I know for sure they have been classified as such for atleast 4-5 years.

Like you, I believe the reason being is to take the burden on hog population control away from the state. The second the hog comes into the farmers field and starts eating it belongs to the farmer and is his porblem to deal with. Its a squirly way to do business, but it IS government after all. Also, I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing because it also allows a farmer to kill the hogs in his crops at will and prohibits a tree hugging landowner next door from claiming they are his livestock and saying the farmer killed his livestock. Just about every farmer I know is the type of person who takes care of them selfs anyway and that classification allows them to. It also allows hog hunters more freedom when hunting hogs on places they have permission. I can definately see your concerns about loosing hog dog protection by animal cruelty laws because of this classifcation as exotic livestock but again im pretty sure this classifcation is not a recent one, its been around several years atleast. Although, I need to do some looking around to find out exactly when it became as such. Also.....I don't think the animal cruelty law give hog dogs much protection in the first place because we all know it is very hard to prosecute someone for shooting your dogs anyway. All they have to do is claim the dog attacked thier domestic livestock or threatened them. The other option is having them classified as game animals in which case the state will be responsible for them....it dont think this will happen in my lifetime and dont want to see it happen because with that comes seasons, tags, hogs stamps, no telling what which I dont think should be neccary for hog hunting. OR you could classify them as domestic livestock, which would cause all sorts of conflict between neighboring land owners, and landowners and the state ect.....as the state is well aware. I just dont think there is any other option than classifying them as exotic livestock.

Ofcorse as the law reads....if you mark a hog with a mark that is registerd in your name then don't you (by the letter of the law) own that hog?.... and subsequently own the responsiblity of controling it and can be held responsible for damage it may do to someones crops. But does that also mean you can sue a deer hunter for shooting your hog if it happens? Something to think about.

Waylon